Avoiding Job Scams & Fraudulent Employers

Your safety and security are important as you explore internships, jobs, and other employment opportunities. While most employers and job opportunities are legitimate, scams do exist.

Learning how to research employers, recognize warning signs, and protect your personal information can help you make informed decisions during your search. 

If you have questions about an employment opportunity or employer, contact your career services office. Career services staff can help you evaluate opportunities, research employers, and identify potential scams.

On this page:

How to Protect Yourself From Job Scams

  • Research employers thoroughly before applying for or accepting a position. Visit the How to Research Employers section below for suggestions.  
  • Do not share personal information such as your Social Security number, banking information, or copies of identification documents in job applications. If you are offered a position, be sure to verify the employer before sharing this information. 
  • Be cautious of opportunities that seem too good to be true, especially those promising high pay for little work.
  • If something feels off, pause and seek guidance from your career services office before moving forward.

Remember: Handshake is the platform where employers post employment opportunities and events specifically for UW–Madison students. While Handshake includes built-in safety measures, UW–Madison does not vet every employer or opportunity posted on the platform. You are encouraged to research employers independently, evaluate opportunities carefully, and report anything that seems suspicious. Learn more about how to spot and report scams on Handshake.

Common Warning Signs of a Job Scam

  • You receive a job offer without participating in a meaningful interview process.
  • The pay seems unusually high for the position or promises quick, easy money.
  • The employer asks for personal or financial information early in the hiring process.
  • The employer asks you to send money, purchase equipment, deposit checks, transfer funds, buy gift cards, or use your personal bank account as part of the job.
  • The employer asks you to pay for training, software, certifications, background checks, or credit reports.
  • Communications come from a personal email account (e.g. Gmail or Yahoo), contain frequent spelling or grammar errors, or are difficult to verify.
  • Most communication happens through text messages or messaging apps (e.g. WhatsApp) rather than official business channels such as email or phone calls.
  • The employer’s identity, contact information, website, or online presence is difficult to verify.
  • The position focuses heavily on earnings but provides little information about the actual work.
  • The job involves reshipping packages, processing payments, completing simple online tasks, rating products, or other activities that seem unrelated to a legitimate business purpose

Tips for researching employers:

Before applying for or accepting a position:

  • Visit the employer’s official website and verify that the position appears on the organization’s careers page.
  • Confirm that the organization provides legitimate contact information and has an established online presence.
  • Review the employer on platforms such as Handshake, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor.
  • Search the company name along with terms such as scam, complaint, or review, and review UW–Madison DoIT Scam Alerts for examples of scams targeting students.

What to Do If Something Doesn’t Seem Right

If you believe a job posting or employer may not be legitimate:

  • Stop communicating with the individual or organization until you can verify the opportunity.
  • Avoid sending money, sharing additional personal information, or taking further action.
  • If you shared banking information or sent money, contact your bank or financial institution as soon as possible.
  • If you shared personal information such as your Social Security number, driver’s license number, or financial account information:
    • Monitor your accounts and credit reports.
    • Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit file.
    • Visit IdentityTheft.gov for recovery guidance and additional resources.
  • Report the situation to your career services office so staff can review the opportunity and help protect other students.
  • Notify DoIT if the scam involved your wisc.edu email account or a university-owned device.
  • Consider reporting the incident to the UW–Madison Police Department or your local law enforcement agency if money was lost or identity theft occurred. 
  • Consider reporting job scams to the Federal Trade Commission through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

    Additional Resources